Kent, Washington.

Staying in one area for a while has resulted in shorter train runs, but this week we headed out of California and headed for Washington which has meant a longer train run, and a very nice one it was too. We travelled through amazing forests with the greenest rivers I have ever seen, reflection of the pines apparently. We cut through and teetered on the edge of some breath taking mountains. There were small towns with doors flung open and scampering children waving at us.





We were woken on the second day of the train run with Willow squealing,“look at the view”. The great thing about this wasn't so much the view (which was pretty good) but the fact that it showed Willow is appreciating some of the wonderful sights we are seeing from the train.



We ran along side another river on day two, and saw geese following it in their usual V shape and ducks taking off, people in kayaks, dinghy's and fishing boats.



On this train run we also had our first long water stop when the animals get off followed by everyone else. We stopped next to a nice river and some people went fishing and some loons went swimming.



The views haven't been that dissimilar to many we have seen before but they still take your breath away. You know you have had a good train run when you have taken over 200 photos, snap, snap!

This week after travelling many miles the weather finally changed. It has been over 3 months since we have seen rain, and the first shower we had was accompanied by a rainbow over the train. It has really come down, accompanied by thunder and lightning.



The show is playing Kent but the train is parked in Auburn a few miles away. Its not a bad train yard as train yards go. You can walk to shops and even hike to a mall and not just any mall but a Super Mall {Insert Superman music}. Some people have said this is one of the biggest malls in the country, but I'm not buying that at all all. It was 'just' a mall like all the others we visit, certainly nothing special. Downtown is even within walking distance. There are also quite a few coffee places near where we are, and for some bizarre reason (well to get men to pay over the top for a mug of hot stuff) the women are all dressed in bikinis and the like. My favourite one was the moo pot, though that wasn't it official name. We are parked just back from the road a little bit, though not enough to stop people wandering up and down the length of the train to have a nosey. I totally understand the interest but at the same time it is our home and it feels like someone is wandering through your back yard. It is one of the prices you have to pay for living close to civilisation I guess.



The building is new, only a few months old, so it is nice a shiny but oh so small. (If the rumours about the size of next years blue are true they are going to have fun fitting in here) School this week is situated in one of the private suites which actually looks onto the floor. So all that is stopping the kids from watching the show is a black curtain. It isn't sound proof though so a little distracting to say the least. So the usual schedule of working school with the shows has gone out the window this week with school stopping once the show starts. There were quite a few shops by the building also, some of them even interesting, old book shops and the like.

Monday was 'Labor day' in the US, normally we would move on Monday but this week we stayed and the circus put on an extra show in the afternoon. I asked a few people what Labor day was and it took a phone call 'Who wants to be a Millionaire' style to find out. It was to guarantee a day off for the workers. Hmmm doesn't really work though does it, as people not working want to do things and go places.

So this week ends with a completely new feel to it due to the weather. It seems to have effected a lot of peoples mood, including my own. I don't 'really' mind the change though, it reminds me of the UK.